Some Aspects of Jainism in Eastern India

Author(s): Pranabananda Jash
Publisher: Munshiram Manoharlal Publisher's Pvt Ltd New Delhi

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Jainism in Eastern India
Malini. Anga was conquered in Mahāvīra's time by Śrenika Bimbisāra and permanently annexed to Magadha. Pargiter pointed out that the ancient Angadeśa where lived the people of the non-Aryan community that came over sea to eastern India15 comprised the territory corresponding to the district of Bhagalpur and probably including Monghyr.16 Kunika, son of king Śrenika Bimbisāra, left Rajagṛha on the death of his father and made Campa his capital," whose location is marked by two villages of Campanagara and Campapur near Bhagalpur.18 Padmavati, the second daughter of Ceṭaka (Mahavira's uncle of the Licchavi dynasty) was married with Dadhivahana, king of Campa and their daughter Candanā19 headed the big community of thirty-six thousand nuns under Mahavira, Campa turned to a great centre of Jainism. In fact "the family of Dadhivahana had a living interest in the Jaina doctrines." The Uvasagadasão21 mentions that a temple called Caitya Punnabhadra existed at Campă at the time of Suddharman, a disciple of Mahavira. The Jaina Aupapātika-sutra refers to this pompous and well decorated city which was a veritable paradise on earth full of wealth and prosperity, internal joy and happiness.
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The association of the Mandara hill in the Bhagalpur district and Karnagarh hill near Bhagalpur where several Jaina relics of much antiquity have been found discloses the existence and popularity of this faith in this part. In this connection it may be remembered that Vasu Pujyanatha, the twelfth tirthankara, attained nirvāņa atop the Mandara hill which is an object of veneration for the Jaina community. Again the Brahmagiri hill to the south of Gaya town has a small figure with a horse on the pedestal which Cunningham believed to be a statue of Sambhavanatha, the third tirthankara.23 Yuan Chwang calls this place Chanp'o mentions that there were Sanghārāmas mostly in ruins showing that Jainism lost its hold in these city. Prstha Campã must have been a place not far from Campā.
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Vaiśāli was the principal seat of government of the Vrji-Licchavis who were a great and powerful people in eastern India in the sixth century BC. It has been identified by Cunningham with the present village of Basarh in the Muzaffarpur district, in Tirhut, as marking the spot where stood Vaiśali in ancient days.24 This place was intimately associated with the early history of Jainism, as we have seen earlier, was known by the designation Vesalie or Vaiśālika, i.e., an inhabitant of Vaisali.25 Vāņijyagrāma, as name implies,